Drama At Court

There was a drama at the Sunyani High Court presided over by the Supervising Judge, His Lordship Mr. Justice Francis Kusi-Appiah, when one of the four convicted armed robbers who were jailed for life told the judge that God would bless him.

The judge did not take kindly to the words of the robber, Yaw Bio, aka Yakubu, and therefore directed that he be brought back to the courtroom to withdraw the remark.

Immediately Yakubu pronounced the words, which Mr. Justice Kusi-Appiah described as 'cursing' he also returned the same phrase of words by saying "enhyira wo nso," meaning God should bless you too.

It all started when the judge asked the robbers, whose counsel was not in court, if they had anything to say after he had summarized the judgment.

The Kumasi based notorious and hardened criminal prayed that he be taken to the Kumasi prisons, but the judge told him that he as a judge had no prerogative to direct where a convict should be taken.

According to the judge, it is the duty of the director of prisons to show where a convict should be taken.

After the explanation of the judge, Yakubu then said, "Nyame nhyira wo," meaning 'God Bless you.'

When he was brought back to the courtroom as directed by the judge, he withdrew the remark when the judge ordered him to that.

The other convicted robbers are Alhaji Dabila Watara, alias Macho,a driver at Sampa, David Dauda, a Nigerian and Philip Kwadwo Tweneboah from Kumasi.

The robbers, including two others Yahaya, at large and Bello Pierre Clavere, an Ivorian, who died in prison custody during the trial, on August 20, 2001, went and robbed a Goil filing station at Sampa.

They were succeeded in robbing the station of ? 59.5 million, $200 and an unspecified amount of CFA, but luck ran out for them and their vehicle used in the operations had an accident as they were running away.

With the bravery of the son of the station and the support of the people of Sampa and Hani three of the robbers were arrested.

Passing judgment, Mr. Justice Kusi-Appiah, after listening to their plea for mitigation, said cases of such nature need deterrent sentences to serve as example to others who involve in armed robbery.

The chief state attorney for Brong Ahafo, Mr. Cab Bayuo, prayed the court that the accused persons be given life imprisonment, because their continuous stay with the public can cause havoc.

According to Mr. Bayuo, no one knows who would to be attacked next by the robbers if they are given a lesser sentence.

After the judge has summed up the judgment, the seven-member jury retired to their chamber and came out to return a unanimous verdict of guilty against them.

They were charged with conspiracy to rob and robbery. Their prison terms would run concurrently.

The judge ordered that all weapons used by the robbers in the operation be destroyed by the registrar of the court in the presence of the police.

Justice Kusi-Appiah also ordered that the $200 and CFA should be returned to the owner. The cedi currency has since been returned to him through the Ghana Commercial Bank, as the money was meant for orders for fuel.